Buddha relics to be placed at Sanam Luang for Buddha Jayanti celebrations

BANGKOK, 23 May 2012 (NNT) - Buddha relics will be moved from the Royal Palace to Sanam Luang on 29 May 2012 in a ceremony to celebrate 2,600 years of Buddha’s enlightenment or “Buddha Jayanti.”

Prime Minister’s Office Minister Nivatthamrong Boonsongpaisal said the annual Buddhism Promotion Week and Day of Vesak event this year would come under the theme “Buddha Jayanti: 2,600 Years of Buddha’s Enlightenment.” Apart from commemorating the Buddha Jayanti auspicious occasion, this nationwide event, scheduled for 29 May 2012 until Vesak Day on 4 June 2012, will also be arranged in honor of Their Majesties the King and Queen and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.

The main venues of the event are Sanam Luang, Buddhamonthon or the Buddhist Park and Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University. In the afternoon of 30 May 2012, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the opening ceremony at Sanam Luang.

Other religious activities include merit-making, chanting of Buddhist stanzas and concentration practice. The highlight is a ceremony to build nine large golden Buddha statues to be located in nine regions of the country.

-- NNT 2012-05-23

Well, if Richard Gombrich is right, the Buddha's parinibbana was in 404BCE. If he was about 80 (traditional belief) at the date of his passing, then he was born in about 484BCE. If his enlightenment took place 6 years after leaving his home in Kapilavattu at the age of 30 (making him 36 at the time of enlightenment), then he was enlightened in 448BCE. This was 2460 years ago, 140 years later than the date being celebrated next week.

Of course, Gombrich may be wrong, but what if he's right (he usually is)? One can say, "well, it really doesn't matter", and I would agree. So why make such a fuss (9 statues in 9 regions, etc)? Cui bono? (Who benefits?)

PS. There's an interesting and short discussion on the dating at this blog site: http://jayarava.blogspot.com/2008/07/dating-buddha.html

It's good for tourism! You should have seen all the people queuing up to pay their respects to the Buddha Kassapa relics last year.